Ochtinská Aragonite Cave ( sk, Ochtinská aragonitová jaskyňa, hu, Martonházi-aragonitbarlangthe Magyar Wikipedia article uses a different title) is a unique
aragonite
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral, one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate, (the other forms being the minerals calcite and vaterite). It is formed by biological and physical processes, including pre ...
cave situated in southern
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
, near
Rožňava
Rožňava ( hu, Rozsnyó, german: Rosenau, Latin: ''Rosnavia'') is a town in Slovakia, approximately by road from Košice in the Košice Region, and has a population of 19,182.
The town is an economic and tourist centre of the Gemer. Rožň ...
. Although only 300 m long, it is famous for its rare
aragonite
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral, one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate, (the other forms being the minerals calcite and vaterite). It is formed by biological and physical processes, including pre ...
formations.
Description
There are only three aragonite caves discovered in the world so far.
In the so-called Milky Way Hall, the main attraction of the cave, white branches and clusters of aragonite shine like stars in the
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye. ...
. The cave was discovered by Martin Cangár and Jiri Prosek in 1954 and opened to the public in 1972. Along with other caves of the
Slovak Karst
The Slovak Karst ( sk, Slovenský kras) is one of the mountain ranges of the Slovenské Rudohorie Mountains in the Carpathians in southern Slovakia. It consists of a complex of huge karst plains and plateaus. Since 1973 it has been a protected ...
, it is included in the
UNESCO World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
list as a component of
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst site.
See also
*
List of caves in Slovakia
There are more than 2,400 caves in Slovakia, of which more than 400 have been explored so far. New caves are being discovered constantly.
Caves open to the public
* caves included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list:
**Dobšiná Ice Cave (' ...
Gallery
Image:Ochtina Aragonite Cave 28.jpg, Aragonite inside the cave
References
External links
Official site with pictures, map of the cave, and contact information
Show caves in Slovakia
World Heritage Sites in Slovakia
Geography of Košice Region
Tourist attractions in Košice Region
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst
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